Rocacorba Daily

Friday December 20, 2013

Curated by Matt de Neef - December 20, 2013

In this morning’s edition of the Rocacorba Daily, the final edition for 2013: Cycling Australia responds to Michael Rogers’ provisional suspension; Rogers faces a tough fight to defend doping charge; Valverde to tackle at least one cobbled race before Le Tour; Spanish stars test out next year’s world championship road race course; Movistar crowned at UCI awards; Andre Greipel headlines Lotto-Belisol Tour Down Under squad; Boels-Dolmans switches to Specialized bikes for three years; Paolo Bellino to take over from Michele Acquarone at RCS Sport; Federation bike trail barricaded by concrete company; SRAM President on hydraulic brake failure; 10 things you didn’t know about Road Bike Party 2; and Winding down for Christmas.

Cycling Australia responds to Michael Rogers’ provisional suspension

Cycling Australia (CA) CEO Adrian Anderson yesterday responded to the provisional suspension of Michael Rogers following the discovery of clenbuterol in a urine sample collected during a test at the Japan Cup on 20 October 2013.

“CA were alerted of the positive test via the UCI media release this morning.” said Anderson yesterday.

“Whilst we respect Michael Rogers’ right to defend himself, we will support the maximum sanctions under the WADA code if he is found guilty of doping.”

“The fact that the drug testing process continues to uncover positive tests should be a lesson to all cyclists that if they chose to dope they can expect to be caught.”

“For too long the sport of cycling has been let down at the international level by drug cheats and CA supports every measure to detect and prosecute doping offenders.”

Rogers does not hold an Australian racing licence and if he is found guilty the sanctions will not be determined by Cycling Australia.

In light of this Anderson added, “CA will support WADA, ASADA and the applicable National Federation in whatever action they deem appropriate.”

CA has said it is fully committed to clean cycling and in accordance with CA Policy every staff member, coach and rider who represented Australia in international competition from 2013 onwards is required to sign a no-doping statutory declaration stating that they have never participated in any illegal doping practices.

Text via Cycling Australia press release.

Rogers faces a tough fight to defend doping charge

Much has been written over the past 24 hours or so about Mick Rogers’ positive test for clenbuterol but we reckon this piece from Fairfax’s Rupert Guinness is worth a read.

In it Rupert talks about the need for Rogers to provide scientific proof that the substance entered his body inadvertently, rather than just relying on circumstantial or anecdotal evidence. If he can’t provide scientific proof, and his B sample returns evidence of clenbuterol, Rogers will face two years on the sidelines, potentially ending his career.

“Rogers was named in the USADA report, but with no suggestion that he had used drugs, and not in relation to the charges against Armstrong.

He left his Sky team for Saxo-Tinkoff and said his move was not related to the USADA report, or Sky’s zero tolerance policy to doping where all riders and staff must sign a declaration that they have not had any involvement or implication in doping.

This was despite Rogers conceding that his previously admitted link with banned Italian doctor Michele Ferrari in 2005 and 2006 when he rode on the German T-Mobile team had been a mistake and may have “tainted” his reputation despite him saying it was for training advice and not drug use.”

Valverde to tackle at least one cobbled race before Le Tour

With next year’s Tour de France featuring a stage on the cobbled roads used in Paris-Roubaix, it makes sense for riders targeting Le Tour to get some practice on the cobbles. This is particularly true for Alejandro Valverde.

“I’ve never raced on the cobbles before, so with the stage being an important one in the Tour this year, we are planning on racing in Belgium a bit this year,” Valverde told VeloNews.

The Spanish rider will race at least one of the northern classics, the most likely candidate being E3 Harelbeke, to prepare for his goal of a podium finish at Le Tour.

“I know I am capable of the podium. This year’s Tour favors me, especially with the final and only time trial coming on the penultimate stage. That favors less the specialists and more riders who have good form. To beat (Chris) Froome? Well, if he is like he was this year, it will be difficult, but every Tour starts anew. We will aim for the podium and see what happens.”

Between them, Miguel Indurain, Pedro Delgado, Oscar Freire, Abraham Olano and Igor Astarloa have seven world championship titles and six Tours de France. And yesterday that group of riders tested out next year’s world championship road race circuit in Ponferrada, Spain.

“It won’t be the toughest World’s in history, but it will wear the riders down” Indurain said after the riders tackled the 18.2km circuit in the rain. “This won’t end in a bunch sprint, rather the race may well be decided by a small group of riders.”

The men’s race will take in 14 laps of the course, for a total of 254km and 4,284m of climbing.

“It’s the kind of circuit I’d have liked in my last years as a pro,” added Freire, a three-time world champion. “It’s a pity I’m no longer racing.”

Movistar crowned at UCI awards

The headquarters of the Spanish Sports Council in Madrid was the venue for the trophy presentation of the 2013 UCI WorldTour overnight, its rankings dominated by Spanish cycling after claiming all individual, team and nation awards.

Movistar manager Eusebio Unzué was presented with the prize for the best team of 2013, receiving the trophy from UCI president Brian Cookson, with Movistar rider Alejandro Valverde third in the individual classification.

The overall individual classification was won by Valverde’s compatriot Joaquim Rodriguez with second place going to Tour de France winner Chris Froome.

Text adapted from a Movistar press release.

Andre Greipel headlines Lotto-Belisol Tour Down Under squad

The most decorated Santos Tour Down Under stage winner on record will return to South Australia next month keen to spend more time atop the podium.

Germany’s André Greipel has been confirmed as a race starter alongside six other riders representing Belgian team Lotto Belisol. The sprinter has won 14 Santos Tour Down Under stages, including three in this year’s edition of the event, and has taken overall honours twice.

The Lotto Belisol roster announced today includes popular Australian rider Adam Hansen, winner of stage seven at this year’s Giro d’Italia. Powerful Belgian rider Jens Debusschere – winner of the 2013 Tour de l’Eurometropole – will also be heading to the Santos Tour Down Under.

The Lotto Belisol team competing at the 2014 Santos Tour Down Under will be led by team manager Herman Frison and includes riders: André Greipel (GER), Adam Hansen (AUS), Jens Debusschere (BEL), Olivier Kaisen (BEL), Jurgen Roelandts (BEL), Marcel Sieberg (GER) and Stig Broeckx (BEL).

Text via Tour Down Under press release.

Boels-Dolmans switches to Specialized bikes for three years

A three year deal with Specialized will see Dutch women’s team Boels-Dolmans ride the American frames through to the end of 2016.

The team had previously been riding Issac bikes but a change in personnel for 2014 has precipitated a change of bike.

“We want to be at the top in all areas. That also goes for our team,” explained Yvo Hoppers, Marketing & Communication Manager at Boels Rental. “A top team deserves the best equipment, which is why we are very pleased with the collaboration with Specialized.”

World time trial champion Ellen van Dijk joins the squad in 2014 from Specialized-Lululemon and having ridden a Specialized frame since 2011.

“We have been sympathetic towards women’s cycling for many years and during that time we have developed products especially for these women with a functional added value,” said Eugene Fierkens, General Manager of Specialized Europe. “It is great that we can play an even more active role in international cycling with this team and our women’s products. Our ambitions and the team’s ambitions are a perfect match.”

Federation bike trail barricaded by concrete company

The Barro Group, a family business with construction interests around Melbourne has erected fencing and barricades across the Federation Trail in Hoppers Crossing after a territorial dispute about who owns the land the trail sits on.

Temporary detour signs have been put in place, to guide cyclists towards local roads, but it is unknown how long the path closure will be in place for.

“VicRoads has previously held discussions with the landowner regarding partial use of the property to accommodate the Federation Trail and these negotiations are ongoing,” Ms Liew from VicRoads said.

“At this stage, no agreement has been made, however VicRoads will continue discussing options with the landowner.”

Bicycle Network Victoria spokesman Garry Brennan said the following:

“There must be a better way of resolving this dispute than taking the law into your own hands and barricading the trail. It’s hard to believe that a major Australian company would want to stop people riding bikes and getting healthy because it is in a dispute about a property boundary. Barro should remove the barriers immediately and settle the property matter in an orderly and civil manner.”

SRAM President on hydraulic brake failure

Component maker SRAM was this week forced to recall nearly 40,000 sets of hydraulic road brakes after a fault was found. The president of the company, Stan Day, has taken to YouTube to apologise for the recall and explain the story behind it.

10 things you didn’t know about Road Bike Party 2

Martyn Ashton’s Road Bike Party 2 caused a sensation last week when it was released last week, attracting nearly a million views in the first few days. Now an article on Bike Radar looks at some of the stories behind the video.

For instance, here’s a quote from Robin Kitchin, the producer of both Road Bike Party videos.

“The tennis net that Martyn side-hopped over was set at 91cm, which we believed was the official tennis net height. It’s got to be a world record right? At least for a road bike!”

Click here to read more at Bike Radar. And click on the image above to get through to the Road Bike Party 2 video.

Winding down for Christmas

This is the final edition of the Rocacorba Daily for this year and we wanted to thank you all for reading and commenting throughout the year. We’ve been pleasantly surprised by the response and we’ve enjoyed bringing it to you throughout the year. The Rocacorba Daily will be back in early 2014.

And while our editorial coverage will be winding down for Christmas, we’re just about to launch our annual What You Missed This Morning (WYMTM) photo competition for the fifth year in a row.

This is your chance to gloat to the rest of the world about the magic of your morning ride, or for you Northern Hemisphere folk, to show how tough you are. We have some fantastic prizes lined up and we’re looking forward to seeing the photos you submit over the holidays. Stay tuned for more information.

The Rocacorba Recap

And finally this morning, here are a few things you might have missed this week:

Here is the content of the email which I sent them this morning as a start:

Dear Sir / Madam.

I am writing to raise my objection and disgust at your decision to close off a section of the Federation Trail cycling route in Hoppers Crossing.

Let me firstly make it clear that I am not commenting on the validity of your dispute with Vicroads over the ownership of that piece of land. Regardless of the validity of your claim, your actions in closing a section of the Federation Trail are mean-spirited and selfish.

The Federation Trail represents a key component of Melbourne’s cycling infrastructure, which is a major contributor to making Melbourne the livable city which it is. The provision of cycling infrastructure acts as an important contributor to the health and wellbeing of the community, and creates an environment in which members of the community can exercise and relax in safe circumstances.

Your selfish actions show nothing more than contempt for the community in which your business operates, and by forcing cyclists to use congested roads instead shows a lack of empathy for cyclists and a total lack of understanding for the need to create safe cycling infrastructure.

The true measure of a company’s engagement with the community is not about how much money it donates to worthy causes, but about how a company acts as a good citizen and a respected member of the community, contributing to the community in which it operates. Your action is one of taking away from the community, rather than being a contributor. This kind of action paints you as a mean-spirited Scrooge, more concerned about making money than engaging with the community.

I call on you to reopen the Federation Trail in Hoppers Crossing, and to do this as a sign of your engagement with the community, regardless the actual ownership of the land on which the trail is built. If the land were to belong to the Barro group, by providing part of the cycling infrastructure which benefits the community, you would be demonstrating your engagement with the community. Instead, you are showing your contempt for the local community, in which you operate your business.

I look forward to your favourable response.

Yours faithfully

jules

i’d be interested in hearing Barro’s side of the story. it seems they believe they own the land. i know someone with land that is ‘caveated’ as public access though. just because you own it doesn’t always mean you can close it to the public.

Michael T.

“This kind of action paints you as a mean-spirited Scrooge, more concerned about making money than engaging with the community.”

Of course they are more concerned with making money! If a corporation – whose sole raison d’être is to turn a profit- determines that the potential liability costs from an insurance claim resulting from a bike accident could at any time affect their capacity to make profit, then they MUST act to close down that threat. Corporations (including those run by family trusts) have a legal responsibility to protect the value of their assets/shares and if it is a choice between being taken to court by the board of management and shareholders for endangering corporate investments or having to weather a few letters of complaint, they will choose the latter.

Advice? Rather than calling them names, research the crash statistics for that section of the trail and forward it to the board of management. Convince the board that the risk to their corporate entity is so minimal that it is costing them MORE to enforce a trail closure than to allow free access.

Steve G

Nice work on an awesome year CT; so glad I came across this site at the start of the year.

Happy Christmas to all the regulars on CT. Let’s hope santa makes all our wishes true and we find that new 510 Edge and ceramic bearing bottom bracket in our stockings

Faz

How does Michael Rogers not have a CA licence? And what Federation is he licenced to? I just find it difficult to understand that at some stage he would have ridden for the national team but doesn’t hold an AUS licence.

Secondly, well done to the whole team @ Cycling Tips. You’ve got a wonderful cycling resource here and it’s a credit to you all.

Andy Logan

Must be racing under a different country federation, does he have residency or citizenship to another country?

Andy Logan

He is registered with either Swiss or Italian Federation apparently….

Michele

Faz – he has ridden for Australia; as lately as last year at the London Olympics.

Interestingly; as mentioned by Adrian Anderson from CA, every rider who represented Australia from this year onwards had to sign a non-doping stat declaration.

Rogers didn’t go to the 2013 worlds. I’m not sure if any reason was given. I would’ve thought he was in good enough form to go. Does anyone know if he gave a reason? Or was he never on the original long list?

Would be interesting to know if MR did sign the CA form Anderson is referring to.

If he didn’t, it almost has the same vibe as to why he moved on from SKY – although Rogers has stated that was purely for monetary reasons.

jules

i don’t get the whole signed statement thing. there’s already a rule that says you can’t dope. if you’re willing to break that, what makes breaching a signed statement special? to my knowledge, a federation or team has never succeeded in recovering wages/winnings from a doper.

Michele

I don’t think this was for recovering wages/winnings Jules. I think it was more of CA drawing a line in the sand, and saying ‘look we don’t want egg on our face down the track, we need to know if you have doped or not’.

jules

but how does this achieve that? i mean, if i was doping and hadn’t been caught (yet), i’d just sign it. if you’re going to lie, you have to do it properly. you can’t go in half-baked.

this is where my sympathy for Lance stems from. i highly doubt he set out to be so manipulative and deceitful. it just snowballs.

Michele

Yeah, I am not sure Jules.

I reckon it’s simply so CA can say they are trying to clean up the sport.

It’s nothing more than a PR stunt by CA.

Mark

In short, if you make a false declaration, you can then face criminal proceedings on the basis of the Stat Dec.

Michele

Okay, I went to the official website, and here’s their listing of riders for the 2013 WC in Tuscany.

So Adam Hansen states he is unavailable. So I take it Mick had made himself available?

Or [playing devil’s advocate here], because he wouldn’t sign the form, he was never considered??

Anyway, I’m not sure if he would’ve made the TT squad. Was there room for him on the RR team?

ELITE MEN

Road Race:

Simon Clarke (Selby, VIC / Orica-GreenEDGE)

Rohan Dennis (Vale Park, SA / Garmin-Sharp)

Cadel Evans (Barwon Heads, VIC / BMC Racing Team)

Mathew Hayman (Araluen, NSW / Team SKY)

Michael Matthews (Farrer, ACT / Orica-GreenEDGE)

Cameron Meyer (Helena Valley, WA / Orica-GreenEDGE)

Richie Porte (Hadspen, TAS / Team SKY)

Rory Sutherland (Canberra, ACT / Saxo-Bank Tinkoff Bank)

David Tanner (Williamstown, VIC / Belkin Pro Cycling)

Time Trial:

Rohan Dennis (Vale Park, SA / Garmin-Sharp)

Richie Porte (Hadspen, TAS / Team SKY)

Please note: Adam Hansen declared himself unavailable for selection.

Notso Swift

The Irony of an ex-AFL heavyweight talking tough on drugs

No doubt about it – this is going to CAS

jules

as it happens he will have no say in the matter as Rogers is licensed by the Swiss or Italian federation.

Abdu

Not so ironic, he wasn’t a heavyweight hence why he left (and golden boy Hamish McSplendo has been anointed by Demetriou to take over). Poor Anderson was the sap Demetriou sent out to do the sh1tty jobs he didn’t want to do.

If it had to be anyone, it was going to be Dodger. The only surprise is that it took this long. No one in the peloton would be surprised, and the Aussie Omertà is in full voice – McEwen, Cooke, etc. all whining and blaming anyone else but Dodger. For fecks sake Robbie, how can the UCI be to blame for a rider ingesting drugs or deliberately doping?

Dodger has had too many near misses, it had to happen. T Mobile, leaving Sky, admitting to getting ‘advice’ from Dr Ferrari and being named as one of the riders in black.

Classic tweet from Tyler Hamilton when this hit the news: “karma”. Rogers gained the bronze medal in the Olympics when Hamilton was banned.

The UCI needs to stop this one off pinging of dopers, while so many continue on and even more accept awards for their team performances – Valverde and Uzebio above are classic examples.

Michele

What I find a little annoying about the coverage of Rogers in mainstream media thus far anyway , is they seem to focus only on the USADA report findings. Of course, Rogers is linked to Ferrari in it, and of course, there is no mention of Rogers doping – the document focused on the doping practices of US registered riders.

Why doesn’t Rupert [and others] speak about SInkewitz’s claims about T-Mobile and the Freiburg Uni Clinic? When discussing Rogers, should a balanced article report on this?

I’m not trying to burn the guy at the stake, but I’m always fascinated by how the media works and reports [I have done some work in cycling reporting before].

It always seems that when an Aussie is involved in anything doping related [not just cycling], the media will water down their reporting of it. They obviously appreciate they need to keep athletes and teams ‘inside’ else they miss out on that next exclusive interview.

Am I being a bit too harsh?

Anyway, it’s Friday – there is nothing to do in the office and I have far too much time on my hand to post this!

Thanks CT for another great year of cycling coverage. Have loved watching this site grow, and really appreciate your efforts.

Realist

Annoyed by the coverage in the media? Australian Foxsports led with the comment,”another doping charge, another cyclist in trouble”… then takes a wet lettuce leaf to the AFL and NRL drug scandals.

Seriously FIFA didn’t even investigate when 19 of the 24 teams (100 players in total) tested positive for Clenbuterol in the 2011 World Junior Cup.

Andy Murray and Serna Williams will be all over the TV this summer at the Aussie Open and not one journalist will question Murray’s visits to Spanish doctors or Serena Williams avoiding a drug test at home when she claimed she thought it was an intruder..

The AFL and NRL had steroidal freaks in the 80s and 90s and the leagues and fans never questioned anything.

Jamaican Athletics hasn’t tested it’s runners for 10 years, seriously they only tested 4 athletes in the 6 months prior to the London Olympics, and we are all told Usain Bolt is really a freak of nature (not just another doper which we all really think).

Ah well…

Notso Swift

It was a front page banner and main story of page 3 in the Herald Sun, not sure how watered down that is!

SuperDom

The Saxo Bank catering department fails again. They should just stick to chicken sandwiches and tuna salad.

Michele

Just remember it was Astana that had the problem with Alberto’s steak.

This is ‘just’ Saxo’s first transgression.

Island Rider

Thanks guys. The Rocacorba has become my morning “go to” site (used to be CN). Have a great Xmas and New Year. Cheers, Owen.

Michael Rogers….what a disgrace, to put it nicely without using coarse language. I trusted him as a cyclist, now no more. What a looser, ruining cycling’s image through being not just caught doping but undergoing doping in the first place. Cyclists of the like need to be banned forever, they have no place in this sport;bans and doping charges need to be harsh and extremely unforgiving as it appears that despite the so called ‘cleaning’ up of this beloved sport, no, or very little progress it being made as to the reduction of doping in this sport.
The pessimists in this sport are actually the true followers and lovers of cycling.
Michael Rogers, you LOSER

Bobby

Easy champ. Cycling’s image was in a spot of trouble way before MR and any dodgy Chinese steak came along. As far as doping positives go, this one isn’t all that big of a deal. A bit like Al Capone getting done for tax evasion. The more concerning issue would be that you trusted a pro cyclist? Be careful, that could possibly qualify you for an L stamp of your own.

howitz

Thanks CT for the wonderful daily news of the world of cycling. It was a great year with almost everyday reading your site, reviews and articles! Best wishes for 2014!

Thanks for a great year of reading, information, scandals,news,cycling updates and the unforgettable Hot Laps! Merry Christmas CT and crew.

Hamish Moffatt

Thanks Matt and Wade, enjoy your break.

It’s astonishing that SRAM didn’t find these problems with the brakes until they got into the field. It can only be due to inadequate testing. Maybe they should keep copying Shimano like the old days? :-)

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